Press Releases

September15,2010

“From reports today on the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) interim ruling I believe it is clear that Europe vastly exaggerated their claims against Boeing. While the interim ruling found that American policies caused some harm to Airbus, their impact was significantly less than the harm caused to Boeing by Europe’s market distorting illegal subsidies, or “launch aid.”

"Earlier this year, the WTO found that illegal subsidies to Airbus distorted the industry, shifting market share toward Europe and away from the U.S., impacting thousands of American aerospace jobs.

"Going forward, I will be carefully reviewing the details of the WTO’s final ruling when it is released and will continue working with the United States Trade Representative in an effort to restore market balance for our aerospace workers."

September10,2010

Nine years ago, the morning of September 11, 2001 was interrupted by senseless acts of terrorism that took the lives of thousands of Americans in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. As we remember this sad day in our nation’s history, our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of those who lost their lives.

While this anniversary marks a solemn occasion in our history, it is also a time to honor the first responders who lost their lives that day while attempting to save others, and our military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the freedoms and security that each of us enjoy as Americans. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

August19,2010

Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09)
released the following statement in tribute to the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd
Infantry Division, which was officially designated the last combat brigade to
leave Iraq under Obama's plan to end combat operations in Iraq by Aug. 31.

“The troops stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord have
born the brunt of the conflict in Iraq – they have been there since day
one, and are now the last combat forces to leave. Many of them have lost their
lives, and many more have been injured. These soldiers have sacrificed greatly,
and I salute their service. They deserve our utmost respect and I will continue
to work in Congress to ensure that the veterans of this conflict receive the
benefits and support they deserve.

“While our role in Iraq is not yet
finished, our combat operations are. Many of our nation’s finest men and women
are no longer in harm's way and they should be commended for a job well done. The
Iraqi people face difficult times ahead, but they have the promise of a brighter
future - a future void of tyranny. A brighter future for Iraqis also means
greater security for America. The military personnel at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord played a vital role in our efforts in
Iraq and we can all be proud of their
service.”

July30,2010

“Today marks an important milestone in our efforts to protect the Green River Valley from flooding. This afternoon, the Army Corps of Engineers laid out the details for interim repairs that will strengthen the Howard Hanson Dam. Yesterday, the President signed into law the Fiscal Year 2010 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, which provides the Army Corps of Engineers with $44 million to complete these interim measures. These two events are the culmination of many months of hard work by my office, as well as the entire local delegation and stakeholders from across the state, and will protect the Green River Valley from potentially very destructive floods.

“The interim measures will buy us vital time and protect the Green River Valley as we work to put in place a permanent, long-term solution. The livelihoods of tens of thousands of people are at risk if flooding was to occur and the interim measures announced today provide the residents of the Green River Valley the protection and assurance they deserve.

“I worked tirelessly with other members of the local delegation and stakeholders to secure this funding. I applaud everyone involved for their diligence and hard work and I look forward to working with them to ensure a long-term fix is achieved.”

July29,2010

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) continued to build on his strong commitment to veterans, military personnel and their families by supporting the fiscal year 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Appropriations bill. The legislation invests in projects and programs of critical importance, including veteran’s benefits and healthcare, and military family housing, barracks and mission critical facilities.

“The men and women who have served in our armed forces, along with their families, have made tremendous sacrifices and they deserve our full commitment and support,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “The legislation passed by the House demonstrates our commitment by working to provide our veterans and their families with the benefits and support they deserve.”

Generally, the FY2011 Military Construct and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill provides $120.8 billion for veterans’ programs, a 10% increase over the previous year’s budget. These funds will help continue to strengthen health programs and improve benefits and compensation. As with the previous bill, this year’s bill provides advanced appropriations for medical services and facilities to ensure that the Veterans Health Administration receives reliable and timely funds to ensure care for veterans is not disrupted. The bill also provides important funding to help veterans suffering from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), provide assistance to homeless veterans, and improve access to care to veterans living in rural areas.

The legislation also provides more than $200 million in funding for the construction and refurbishing of key military projects and facilities at Joint Base Lewis-McCord. This funding is essential to the continued modernization and expansion of the base.

In addition to supporting this important legislation, Smith recently introduced and the House passed a pair of bills that support Veterans and military families. These bills, coupled with today’s vote, demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our nation’s military, veterans and their families.

“Together, these bills will help address significant problems plaguing our military community – high unemployment in our veterans population and the strain placed on families when their loved ones are deployed,” said Smith.